When Reality is a Lie
by Bobadoo
Summary: There was an explosion, then silence. They woke up in a forest, not the desert, and faced an unimaginable enemy with bows and swords, not rifles. Where were they?
1. Chapter 1

Hello fanfictioners! While I did only have one chapter of my other story, I REALLY wanted to write this one. So here it is. Yes, it's people falling into ME but give it a chance! It's most serious, I promise you!

Thanks to daisymall13 for being my beta despite the fact I put this up before you said anything because I'm too impatient like that. My apologies.

Thanks to Gwenneth Tinuiel for reading a bit of it (and not tearing my head off over our little discussion :D)!

**

* * *

**

**Chapter One**

There always exists those days when something feels…off.

_Sergeant Valerie Hansen had a sour look on her face, one that Specialist Matthew Novak was used to seeing, but not before he did something stupid._

"_Something wrong, Sarge?" He asked, hopping in the driver's seat, glancing over._

_She did not stop looking out the window. "Bad day."_

_Novak nodded. "Yeah, I heard. Told you the Packers were nothing without Brett Favre." He could hear Valerie's eyes rolling in her skull. That would do for now._

The morning is different, almost wrong, and the inevitability cannot be shaken.

_It had been a simple mission: get from point A to point B with, hopefully, little contact, while keeping the one tons intact. It hardly seemed qualified for the military police but she had gotten used to things like this. Someone always had to fill in. They were at war, or so she heard. Frankly it was a little quiet in her opinion, though that was the way everyone preferred it._

_They had gotten the front of the column, the best position in Novak's opinion. 'No one ever takes out the first vehicle.' he liked to say, 'The enemy likes to lure us all in first.' He was full of what he liked to call 'war knowledge,' handed down from generations of fighting men. It was this and his ever present cocky smile that made her question ever going to NCO school._

There is a sickness inside and food tastes like nothing, is not worth it.

_Since the mission was fairly easy, assessed as risk free as one could get, the First Sergeant decided to be bold. Valerie did not care too much about having the man tag along with them, though it managed to scare the daylights out of Private First Class David Winchester, a relative newcomer to the unit. It might have entertained her if the day had not felt so wrong._

_The only problem came when the First Sergeant tried to point out all of the code violations of the vehicle and tried to explain new battle tactics. Maybe he was right, maybe he was not. Valerie hardly cared._

All one wishes to do is pass the day by and hope it is gone the next, but that is never the case. Something always happens to take one away from the monotonous schedules, the relative safety, to what the feeling is warning about.

_Maybe she should have suspected something when someone strange in the crowd caught her eye, or should have taken more caution when they neared a pile of trash. The only problem was that everyone was strange to them and there was trash everywhere. How could they possibly tell which one would spell their doom? _

_The First Sergeant had been talking about football with Novak, the two making fun of Winchester at the same time for abhorring the sport. Valerie continued her stare at the crowded alleyways, wishing to get everything over with. It was when her presence was finally noticed, when the First Sergeant asked her if she was as un-American as Winchester, that it happened._

_She could have sworn there was a click before the light engulfed her, the searing heat so unbearable it practically numbed her body. One second she was on a hot, dusty street, the next she was flying, falling, nonexistent. Her life did not pass before her eyes, there were no voices calling out from her childhood. There was complete amazement and then everything went blank._

Today was one of those days.

* * *

There was a fire on the outskirts of her memory, screams echoing in the blackness. For a moment she came back to herself, watching various newspaper clippings pass before her eyes. Stories of IEDs, sudden attacks on U.S. convoys, ambushes, slaughters, death. She could picture her father sobbing over the news he had received about her, cursing the media world for only presenting her death on the fifth page of the newspaper behind some baseball player on steroids and a politician no one cared for until they slept with the wrong woman.

It disappeared in a bright flash. Suddenly the falling ceased, abrupt and painfully. Her body lied on some cool surface, soft, wet; her hand moved across it, feeling the blades of grass tickle its palm, the dew rubbing off onto her skin.

She was home again, lying in the green sea that her father liked to call the backyard, a thing seen in commercials but never in reality. It contrasted the white fence in the background. The paint had begun to peel. Every weekend he promised to fix it; every weekend another chip came off.

Her eyes opened in a flash, slowly focusing on a duller but still very green foreground. Valerie brought her hand forward, its paleness reflecting too brightly for her. Squinting, she made out its trembling features, all present, unscathed. She tried to move her other arm, finding herself on her back shortly thereafter. She coughed and blinked, new, brighter light coming from between the branches of the trees.

Trees?

Grass?

Caught in a moment of uncontrollable fear, Valerie bolted upright, causing the unfamiliar world to blur and spin, her arm catching the ground before the rest of her body returned to it. Her head was heavy, aching, longing for the helmet to be removed, but she refused. It had saved her life, somehow. There was no need to return that gift by taking it off now. The vest felt heavier than it ever had. Her hip was sore, the canteen at its side crushed. At least the mystery of her landing was solved, however reassuring that fact was.

Dizziness unwilling to subside, Valerie promptly turned over and got sick, crawling away from the scene on all fours towards a small creek, collapsing on its bank, struggling to maintain her fleeting consciousness. Splashing the cool water in her face, both refreshing and awakening, Valerie gazed up again to look at her surroundings. It was a forest, trees going as far as her diminished sight could gather. It was dead silent as well, save for the running water before her. There were no birds, dogs, people, no sounds of anything that would indicate that the city she was once in was still nearby.

In some vain attempt to bring the world back into focus, Valerie splashed more water in her face, only managing to make her face wetter as a result. The forest remained, as did the silence, until something caught her attention. It was low, muffled, a shuffling sound followed by the breaking of the stick. Afraid to see what else fate had in store for her, Valerie took her time in turning to the noise. When she did finally confront it, she was not sure what to think. Not forty feet away, playing with what appeared to be her rifle, was what she could only describe as the most grotesque being she had ever come across. Its skin was pale, grimy, as were its clothes, its movements ever chaotic and twitching. Its ear appeared to be pointed; its eyes maybe larger than what they should have been.

What happened next, Valerie could not control. It was a reaction spurred by the rising fear within, the strangeness of the entire situation only aiding its existence. She gasped suddenly, deeply, as though she could not catch her breath, backing up against a tree. Pulling her pistol out of its holster as fast as she could, Valerie pointed it at the creature, switching the safety off with a click.

It looked at her, tossing her rifle away as if nothing, tilting its head out of curiosity. She could have sworn it smiled at her as it began to step forward, its stride uneven and shaky. As light breaking through the trees hit it, she saw more disturbing details, including the sword its left hand possessed.

"Jesus," Valerie whispered under her breath, the beginning of a prayer she would never finish. Her grip on the pistol was looser, shakier. Her finger wavered near the trigger, pausing as her mind grasped for the memories of the rules of engagement.

It was closer now, smile black and haunting. "What have we here?" It asked, voice filled with a hiss and other unnatural things. "A lone soldier? Looks like yer friends left yeh to me." The desire in his voice sent a chill up her spine.

"Stay…stay away from me you…" God, what could she call it? Her mind wished to avoid monster because those things did not exist. They were nothing more than creations for children's fairytales and box office earnings. She refused to accept that she was in anything other than reality, even if fantasy was staring her down.

Somewhere in the forest, a bow was strung, but a hand stayed its action, wishing to see what the new, strange being would do.

Its laughter sounded more like an old man's cough. "A youngling too. All the tastier." Backing further into the tree, Valerie watched as the creature lifted the sword in preparation to end her life, heard his continued laughter as she raised her pistol higher.

The sound of gunshots used to scare her. She had woken up to the sound of them outside her house one night, red and blue lights dancing about her room. Through the window, she saw a man lying on the ground. Her father said he was fine but she knew, even back then she knew. Her brother played a movie too loud one night. She ran into her father's room crying, thinking of the man on the street again. Then one day, the fear vanished, as unexplainable as its appearance.

It fell backwards, surprise still etched upon its face, a black liquid pouring from its neck. Her hand shot upward from the kick of the pistol, blood getting on it as well as on her face. She blinked but other than that hardly reacted as the creature hit the ground. Somehow through its gurgling breaths and dying struggles, it managed to laugh. A grimace crossed her face. More disturbing than its appearance or foul intentions was its ability to laugh at death, even its own. Eventually it quieted down too, leaving Valerie alone with the sounds of the creek once more.

After a long while of senseless staring at the body, Valerie suddenly remembered what it had been handling earlier. Standing slowly, as though afraid the creature would jump again, she flicked the safety on the pistol again and made her way to where she thought it had tossed her rifle, limping slight from the pain in her hip. The silence of the forest was deafening. She longed for just one bird to call out, though at this point it might just give her heart that extra jump it needed to stop.

She found her rifle stuck in a bush, seemingly intact, much to her relief. If instinct told her anything, it was that that creature was not alone. There were more out there, she could only hope that she was just as lucky with her comrades.

As though reading her mind, a voice called out in the distance. The sound was muffled but it seemed to sound like something along the lines of 'soldier.' Suspicious of the place already, Valerie would have most likely gone the other way if it were not for the fact that the voice sounded awfully familiar.

Noting the broken strap on her rifle, Valerie quickly took it off before heading in the direction of the voice. The pain in her hip was aggravating but it would wear down with time. She continued for some distance, hearing the voice call a couple more times. She even replied with a meager 'here' before stumbling upon the source.

They watched her run through the forest, blind to anything around her. She was so loud they could have followed blindfolded.

The First Sergeant was leaning against a fallen tree. Unfortunately he was not alone. In the clearing before him were a couple more of those creatures, even uglier than the first one if possible. They did not engage in mindless chatter like the other one but looked around cautiously, suspecting some kind of trap. Holding her breath, Valerie quietly switched her rifle to fire, sneaking into the clearing to surprise the two creatures who, like their predecessor, had only swords to defend themselves.

They seemed to notice her presence though, launching at her before she cleared the trees, but their swords did not have the reach of her rifle. The first one fell with two bullets in its gut. Two shots close range that was what they taught her in basic. All of those meaningless words that had been drilled into her mind started returned, instincts that she did not know existed were beginning to kick in. The remaining creature stared at its companion for a moment before falling as well when two small rounds entered his side.

"Who is that?" asked a feeble voice, one that hardly seemed to be possessed by the man that had chosen to ride with her. Frightened by this development, Valerie ran, or attempted to run, to his side.

"Sergeant Hansen," Valerie replied, looking him over. "Are you okay, Top?"

He moved slightly, showing the new alteration in his side. There was something sticking out of it, a piece of the hummer from what she could gather. Her hand moved toward it but was quickly swatted away.

"Don't touch it. You're no medic." Somehow the commanding tone still managed to echo in his fading voice.

"What do you want me to do, Top, scream for one until my lungs die?"

His eyes narrowed at her failure to maintain composure in the situation but he said nothing. This was hardly the time. "You can't do anything, not unless you can get that tourniquet of yours around my waist." He sensed Valerie's need to say something smart but she remained silent. "What's that on your face?"

Valerie touched her face briefly. "Blood…I think."

The First Sergeant motioned to the bodies. "From one of those things?"

"Yeah." The short silence was broken by the sounds of more movement, much more. Valerie spun around, resting an elbow on her extended knee, pointing her rifle in every direction that a noise came from, drawing a disheartening conclusion. "Oh God, we're surrounded…First Sergeant, you know where your weapon is?"

"Haven't…seen it." He was fading fast now, probably would be unconscious before any of the creatures arrived. Terrific.

Valerie continued to turn in every direction, waiting for the first one to appear, repeating the same four letter word under her breath. A scream pierced the air, abnormal and terrifying, causing her hair to rise and breath to fall short. It was from one of them, but what could have done it? For a moment she dared to hope that there was someone else here from her unit until she realized that there had been no sound of a gunshot. Whatever was attacking was something she did not know.

There were more screams and sounds of struggle from the forest. The sounds were haunting, reminding her of old Vietnam documentaries that her grandfather obsessed over. It surrounded them, the only thing to occupy her mind until it abruptly halted. The only things that filled the air now were her breath and rapidly pounding heart, each pump of it causing her eyesight to blur at the edges. She continued to search the edge of the forest for signs of anything alive at this point. She was not certain what to fear more: the creatures that attacked her or whatever slaughtered them so easily.

As her breathing slowed, Valerie began to notice something. A feeling of someone watching, of inevitability, of a mistake that she had made. A shadow appeared, hardly passing her own, but the movement was obvious. Her adrenaline should have told her that someone was coming behind her, its presence heightening her sense of hearing but it had not. There had been no sound behind her, no shuffling of feet, no hoarse breathing. Then it hit her.

Her breathing stopped altogether as she turned to meet inescapable doom. She had barely turned when it happened. A hooded figure tackled Valerie to the ground, turning her onto her back, pounding her arm into the dirt until she let loose the grip on the rifle. The rest was a blur. When she became aware of her surroundings once more, Valerie found herself staring into the eyes of her assailant, one wrist held down by a hand, the other by a boot, a knife to her neck, so close that the coolness the metal gave off could be felt upon her skin.

Raised in an all Protestant family, one of the first things Valerie had learned was the Lord's Prayer, and it was these words that flowed through her mind now, repeating over and over, moving so fast that if mumbled they would hardly be intelligible. Maybe that was why her mouth quivered, her voice long lost to the fear.

"Whom do you serve?" The stranger asked, his voice harsh but the most normal thing she had come across since waking up in this surreal world. Her silence forced the blade closer to her skin. "Twice I have saved your life this morn. Your debt is high but all I ask for is a simple word."

There was a click. Both looked over to see the First Sergeant pointing his pistol at the man's head, his arm shaking horribly under the strain. The man neither flinched nor hinted to any fear he may have possessed, which Valerie truly believed was none. Because of the movement, she caught a better glimpse of his face, it no longer hiding with the aid of the sun's glare. Long hair stuck out from under the hood, red and waved, the same color as the thin beard he wore on his face. His nose was hooked ever so slightly, his eyes a sort of gray color. He was human at least, a fact that brought more relief than she would have believed.

"You would kill me after the service I have paid?" It was not a question but more of an invitation. Valerie felt another chill.

"You're…about ready…to kill her."

He had looked ready to counter the First Sergeant's obvious response until the last syllable of the sentence: her. The mask of calm slipped from his face at the sound of it, surprise etched in everything capable of expression. The man turned back to Valerie, giving what he could see of her face a good once over, looking for the lie.

"Remove your helmet," he commanded, the mask replaced. Valerie looked from him to his arm several times. She then turned to the First Sergeant, nodding as best as she could with the knife still against her throat. His arm practically dropped, the pistol hitting the ground with a dull thud. The man relaxed slightly, stepping back, leaving her arms free. He pulled back the knife, placing it back in his belt, watching her warily still.

Sitting up on one of her elbows, Valerie began to undo the strap on her helmet. Her head screamed with relief as it was pulled off, her hair still trying to cling to it, but the bun she had put in that morning was too strong. It still gave the man a message. He stood abruptly, backing away as though she had turned into some vile creature. Valerie watched him as his stare became discomforting, a mixture of confusion and slight hatred in her own.

He whistled then. Suddenly as far as her vision could take her, men in cloaks emerged from the forest. She could not get a good count of them but there had to be at least twenty if not more. One approached him, speaking in low whispers, the noise barely audible. Valerie turned back to the First Sergeant, who had finally lost his battle with consciousness. If he died, she would be alone. What then?

"What are we to do, Captain?" The man asked, glancing quickly over at Valerie, a loathsome look she did not miss.

He paused a moment. "We take her to Henneth Annûn. Bind her hands. Cover her eyes. Our enemy has become reckless if he believes _that_ to be able to penetrate our ranks."

The other man nodded. "And what of her companion?" Perhaps it was because he turned toward her, or that his voice had grown louder, but something made certain that Valerie heard his last statement.

"Leave him."

This struck a chord in Valerie. No longer would she be silent or fearful of her supposed savior. She would not go quietly as they had assumed; she stood quickly, not going for her rifle which was closer than she assumed, but instead pulling out her pistol, leveling it on the center of the silver tree sewn onto his outfit.

He raised one hand, pausing the action that would have ended the foolish woman's life. If his men had not been better trained…

"We are not going to leave him."

The man began to laugh, something she figured would happen at this point. "You would force your captor's hand despite the situation in which you now find yourself?"

Valerie quickly glanced at the seemingly multiplying hooded men. "Yes."

His face became serious once more. "Your companion is dying. He will only slow us and they will track his scent with ease."

Her grip on the pistol tightened, her resistance to pulling the trigger fleeing. Through clinched teeth she shouted, "I will not leave him here to be eaten by those things like some dead animal!"

For a moment, Valerie thought she saw the man nod. It was subtle but she could have sworn it was there. To her surprise he began to step forward, coming closer without stopping, and she did not back away. While she hated to believe it, something told her that he meant to do no harm, though her pistol remained in place. If she was wrong at least she would have plenty of room for it.

"You are a stubborn creature," he murmured, halting a few paces before her. "And a loyal one. If a man could have admiration for things such as you, you would have it."

It threw her off for a moment, the thought of a man respecting what he considered to be the enemy. Those were fantasies that no longer existed in the world, ideals that her grandfather had only prayed for as he remembered the stories his father told him, stories of how the war would end for the night and of Christmases celebrated even between enemies.

Valerie quickly returned to reality. "That doesn't change what you said."

"No it does not." She knew it then that someone was behind her, ready to strike. Valerie tossed her pistol down before they grabbed her by the shoulders, forcing her to her knees. The last images she saw were of the First Sergeant, lying unconscious, unaware of his horrid fate. She could have chanced it, shot the man that would leave him for those creatures. It would have meant the end of her own life but at least then she would have been free of this place. Instead she chose life, however terrible it would be now with so much guilt upon her conscience.

The last time she had been blindfolded was at her birthday party. She had turned eight. They were playing pin the tail on the donkey. Her father had filmed her as she tried to get to the page the creature was on, nearly sticking the needle in the cat's face instead as it watched from the steps above the picture. She had watched the video before leaving, tears lining her eyes for a reason she could not remember. Perhaps she had known then what would befall her for now she wished this darkness was a simple game, where the only life at risk was that of a cartoon drawing instead of her own in a land so different and far away from anything she had ever witnessed.

What happened?

* * *

Well what do you think? Please give me some criticism! My only goal in life is to improve and I can't if I don't gets some tips!


	2. Chapter 2

Sorry it has taken me so long. Really struggled with this chapter. I've been suffering with the most horrible case of writer's block. I can assure you the next chapter will be much simpler. Also, I was on vacation. Good times! :D

Thank you for all the lovely reviews. If I didn't respond, my apologies. I'm trying to work on that.

Again, criticisms would be most appreciated. I only seek to better my writing.

Enjoy.

* * *

**Chapter Two**

Valerie could not remember how long she had stumbled through the forest, pulled along by the ropes that bound her hands together, she had lost count of how many times she had tripped and fallen, stopped guessing at how many bruises would litter her body and face. The only thing that mattered was that she was alone when it all happened. There would be no sharing in the pain and embarrassment. The man that would have done that with her was lying dead somewhere in a clearing in the middle of a place neither of them had recognized. She wondered how long it would take the creatures to wander back into the area, and how much they would hesitate this time.

Dispelling the thoughts, she turned over on the cold floor, looking at the open entryway. It was such a simple place to hide, near a waterfall unless her ears had lost their sanity as well. She could have wandered about with ease if it were not for the multitude of men outside the room. Dressed as she was, she would not get far. Even in their clothes, she doubted how camouflaged she would be. There had been only men's voices, which she ought to have expected considering their dress and speech.

Her vest and LBV were gone, though they had allowed her the one remaining canteen. All of her gear had been taken away, stored somewhere or even destroyed. Valerie secretly hoped that there was some unfortunate fool that stumbled upon her grenades and had the stupidity to pull the pin. She was not going to lie; there would be a smile on her face at that.

She could not be certain how long she had been in the cave. There was hardly any light save for the torch just outside the doorway, making the room hazy but not completely unbearable. The unfortunate thing was she had no idea whether it was day or night. Her watch had been confiscated along with everything on her person, save for her clothes. They were observant, too much so for her, having noticed every pocket on her uniform, an impressive feat considering how many she did have. The last count stood at twelve but for all she knew there were more.

Looking around the room once more, Valerie took another survey of its contents. It was a small chamber and scarcely filled. A few crates and a barrel or two, plus the blanket she had wrapped around her body. It did not keep her from freezing, the temperature of the cave at least fifty degrees cooler than where she had once been. Her teeth chattered constantly, the only noise she heard other than the incessant dripping of water on the other side, both driving her slowly toward insanity.

Tired of it all, Valerie stood up. She needed something to distract her. After pacing around in thought for a few moments, she kneeled down, kicking her legs out into the front leaning rest. Closing her eyes, Valerie began to knock out pushups, counting them in her head. The familiar pressure in her arms was somehow relaxing. Her mind wandered for a few moments, losing itself so she could almost hear her superior's voice as he called out the repetitions.

Then she stopped.

Her eyes opened, staring at the floor of solid rock. She collapsed on herself, arms thrown atop her head as though she were bracing for something to fall.

It was all insane. Here she was stuck in some cave in the middle of Renaissance Festival Land doing pushups while her First Sergeant was dead in a field somewhere and the rest of her team was most likely blown pieces lying in a ditch on some Iraqi street that no one had the skill to pronounce. The last thing she could remember was a light, the explosion of the IED. She expected to wake up to angels singing or her dead relatives, even to the devil for at least that would have made sense. Instead she was in a place where men still ran around with bows and tights like Robin Hood.

Valerie sighed, feeling herself shake again. The floor was freezing but she did not feel like moving, not until she was certain that when she opened her eyes she would see something that made sense.

"You are cold." Valerie jumped at the voice, looking up to see the man from before. Biting her tongue to control the anger that now coursed through her veins, Valerie moved back. She stood up in the corner of the room, looking ready to defend herself. He did not react negatively to her quick movement, simply moved further into the cavern and took a seat on one of the crates. "Would you care for another blanket? Perhaps warmer clothing?"

What she would have liked were answers but she kept her mouth shut, only glaring at the man in response.

"It appears that your leg is better. Were you not limping earlier?" Valerie looked down at her hip a moment, only now noticing the dull pain that still throbbed in it. Seems they had noticed everything about her.

The man moved forward a little, causing Valerie to draw up her fists. He sighed, "I cannot help if you refuse to speak."

"Help me?" Valerie echoed, lowering her fists. "Why the hell would you want to do that?"

He was silent a while, thinking. "The accent and manner of speech you possess are strange, qualities that are not of any Easterlings I have come across. In fact your appearance is almost Gondorian." He paused and looked at Valerie, noting the utter confusion embedded on her face. "Confide in me what you know now and I will seek no further harm to you."

Valerie could have laughed. She nearly did but maintained a straight face. "No further harm? If you're so suspicious of me, why didn't you let those things have their way with us?"

This question seemed to stump the man. He was silent for a while, lost in thought. She watched him in these moments, looking for anything recognizable on his clothing or even his face, but coming up with nothing. He was not a very large man but he was not small either. The way he carried himself was proud, not overconfident, though there was a certain air to him. He was someone of importance.

"You ask far too many questions for a person in your position." He did not know the answer, or else he did not wish to admit it. Despite the obvious differences in time and looks, Valerie could read this man like a book. He paused once again, though not as long. "What is your name?"

Her silence returned, only getting a sigh from the man. He stood again and she tensed, waiting for what she deemed the inevitable.

"You would not help yourself by holding your tongue," he spoke softer, more caution in his voice. She sensed a threat. "My men already have their thoughts on you, minds driven by the weapons you possess, driven to ideas of magic and witchcraft. Silence cannot aid you."

She tried to take the situation seriously but the thought of being accused a witch was a little overwhelming, not to mention unrealistic but that excuse was quickly becoming old. Anything was to be expected at this point. Maybe the Easter Bunny would appear right behind him or Elvis would come back from the dead.

He sighed, her calm taking far too long; he stood, needing to tend to things far more important than a mysterious, nameless woman. It was when he turned to exit that she once again spoke.

"Valerie," she paused. "My name is Valerie." It was strange how simply she said it. There was no hesitation as he turned to leave. She did not want to be alone again. Despite the strangeness of this encounter, despite what he had done, he was the only one who seemed to be trying to understand her. If she wanted to have any hope of escaping wherever she was, she needed him.

"Valerie," he whispered, turning around, almost afraid to speak it any louder. His tongue lingered on certain syllables, as though having difficulty with them. She did not question his pronunciation of it. His name, if ever revealed to her, could not be the simplest of things. "A peculiar name, though I suppose it suits you." He drew close again, causing Valerie to hug the wall more. Need him or not, he had his boundaries.

"What is your purpose in Gondor?" Now came the hard part. Valerie bit her lip, wanting to think her answer through completely. Gondor. It did not sound like anything from Earth no matter how she looked at it, modern or historically. Still, the name did sound familiar.

"I…I don't know." She spoke softly hoping for it to sound more truthful. "I…I woke up in the forest. I was not supposed to be here."

The man looked at her hard, unsure of how to take her vague explanation of things. "Were you attacked?"

"Yes." The word was drawn out and uncertain. This made him more suspicious and she knew it.

"By whom?"

Valerie prayed the sigh that escaped could not be heard by him. She thought for a while on her answer. It was pitifully obvious that he knew she was tiptoeing around the subject and for her sanity's sake, she would continue to do so.

"I couldn't say. One second we were moving along, and the next I'm here." Valerie watched the wheels turn in his head, saw things starting to click. She could feel the thin ice cracking and knew she could not swim.

"There were more of you then, besides the other." She tried not to look surprised, tried not to give anything away but it appeared that even her own body conspired against her. Her eyes widened slightly and her legs attempted to drive her though the wall of solid rock.

He nodded. "It would not make much sense, two foot soldiers alone. You make far too much noise for a scouting party. No, there would be more of you." A look crossed his face, one that struck fear into her. She could not explain how but she never felt so vulnerable in her life until this point.

The man closed the gap between them in a few long strides, stopping at an uncomfortable distance that had their faces nearly touching. "Do they possess the same weapons?"

"Yes." Valerie was surprised that she answered, more so at how shaky her voice had become.

"Would they come for you?"

From the beginning she had doubted that the others were there, even when she had found the First Sergeant, but at this moment Valerie began to ponder the possibility that she was not alone in this place. Would Novak and Winchester be as fortunate as her or would they have fallen into the hands of a crueler adversary? The thought of what this man alone would do to them kept her silent, though it was too late. He already knew they were out there.

He was gone before she could react, down the passageway at a pace that she thought difficult even for a man of his height. Valerie stood against the wall for a while longer, almost certain she had managed to put a dent in it. Slowly she began to slide down, her legs unable to bear the burden now upon her shoulders. She had already let them condemn one man, now two more. This was not how it was supposed to happen. She was supposed to hold back information, even in the pain of torture. Instead she had given it freely. Strange land or not, there was no excuse.

Valerie let her head drop forward, eyes watching her fingers dangle between her knees. She tried to think of all the ways to have prevented this. Novak could have driven faster. They could have taken a different route. She could have paid more attention to the street they drove down. There were a thousand possibilities, but none happened for her. She had to accept that and attempt to make sense of the new world she found herself in before it took control of her.

* * *

The sea of green had returned, cool to the touch, the remnants of dew tickling the skin. Birds chirped overhead as one would imagine, the embodiment of a beautiful day complete with blue skies and calming breezes.

She had come home on leave from Fort Carson without telling her father, sparing her from a tear-choked scene at the airport. Even after four years, the man could not harden to the thought of his daughter serving her country in some far off place, even if it were still in the United States at times. Waiting for him now, she scanned the sky above, watching the sun dance between the tree branches, thinking about days past.

A smile played on her lips. For centuries men pondered what perfection was and how to achieve some sort of possession of it, yet she had searched for nothing and stumbled upon it. This yard, this life, it was perfection.

Valerie's eyes opened to the darkness. Warmth had taken control of her body so deep she almost believed herself to be back in Iraq, waking up once more because the fan died again and she could not take the heat. The she rolled over, feeling the blankets on her body, seeing the rest of the dimly lit cavern.

It had been perfection.

She felt through the layers of cloth that covered her. Two more blankets were there. For a while she stared at them, too confused to form any whole thought. If the kindness from her captor did not throw her off enough, the fact she never noticed his arrival while she slept doubled it. She was a light sleeper, had been since she was little. This was the second time this man had managed it.

It was then she realized there was movement in the room. They were blocked by the crates at the moment but soon moved into her view. It was a man she did not recognize, one that wore a look that sent off the alarms in her head. She moved to defend herself but he grabbed her shoulder before she could do anything. With one swift move he yanked her off the ground as though she were a ragdoll and upon her feet. He quickly bound her hands with a rope, leaving a long end so he could drag her like a dog on a leash.

"Hold your tongue, witch," he mumbled, voice deep, "or I'll cut it out."

A reckless side of her wished to dare him, but she knew better. Valerie kept silent as he led her out of the cavern, attempting to keep up with his pace so she did not have to be subjected to the humiliation of being pulled about. Eyes turned to her in every room and passageway they found themselves in, which were quite a few. Their stares made her feel naked and helpless, but she kept her head up. No use in looking defeated already.

They soon came upon a room much brighter than the rest. There was a rather large opening nearby that allowed sunlight to stream through the dark cavern, giving Valerie her first look at the waterfall she had been hearing. This space, much like the others, was not so different from the one she had been stored in. Only this had men and weapons, the former continuing their previous actions but much more silently now as they noticed her presence among them.

There were two men before them. One was facing away but from the color of his hair, it was fairly easy to guess who it was. The other was looking her way, his face lighted by surprise and what appeared to be horror. She began to wonder if her captor would be the only man to attempt to see her in a normal light.

"Captain, I have the prisoner." The man with the rope said, pulling Valerie forward abruptly. He received a glare in reply.

"Yes, from the looks of the messenger here, it is quite obvious," her captor replied, turning to them. She could not read the look on his face, but somehow it appeared amused. "She is like the ones you have captured, is she not?"

"Yes, Captain," the messenger sputtered, unable to take his eyes off her. "Save for her being a woman."

The Captain smiled now. "Yes, it is a strange thing." He motioned to the other. "Draw a fresh steed for this man, and prepare the others. We ride out as soon as they are ready."

"What of this one?" he asked, refusing to even acknowledge her as any form of a human being.

"Leave her with me."

"As you wish, Captain." The man nodded, handing over the rope. He then took the messenger away, leaving the two alone once more. Valerie watched him curiously for a moment, trying to figure him out. He looked at her as well, most likely doing the same thing. The Captain shook his head suddenly and sat down, motioning for Valerie to do the same. She plopped down on a small rock, waiting for him to speak. It was obvious there was something on his mind.

He sighed. "It appears my brother has captured your comrades near the River Anduin. He holds them in Osgiliath, which is where we travel to now." The Captain paused, waiting for some kind of reaction. Valerie knew what he was trying and attempted to look as airheaded as possible, which was not too difficult in these circumstances. She had no idea what he was talking about, not even an inkling. "There were two of them. Are there any more?"

Valerie was silent a moment, debating what to say. She certainly hoped there were no more. "Would you believe me either way?"

The Captain smiled again. How he confused her! "No, I suppose not." He stood again, leaving the rope behind him, both knowing she would neither escape nor move from the very spot she sat.

"Thank you." Valerie said after a while, her voice only a whisper. "For the blankets, I mean."

A strange silence fell between the two and it seemed an eternity passed before he nodded in reply. They watched each other a moment longer before he left the room, leaving Valerie alone with men's stares and paranoid thoughts.

* * *

She had never been one for riding horses. One of her friends used to compete with them and ended up in a wheelchair after an accident. Yet here she was on top of one, still recovering from the embarrassment of mounting the creature. The men all laughed on as she nearly fell once and found herself too short to make it all the way over on her own. One thing had gone her way though. No one trusted her with the reins, so her horse was led by a rope, attached to the Captain's no less.

They had her blindfolded for maybe an hour of the trip. After she nearly fell off a few times, they let her see again. Now that she could focus on the landscape, things seemed to go smoother. Her hands were not bound, which many had objected to but she could hardly ride otherwise. Valerie hardly noticed, but her grip on the saddle was death like, her fingers slowly going numb from it.

The land she found herself in was quite beautiful, she would admit that. The forest was peaceful, with hills and mountains as a backdrop. Despite how harmless it appeared, the men were on edge. At one point she may have questioned this but she knew the evil that lurked in these woods, the abomination nature had produced.

Valerie had almost started to relax when it happened. Her thoughts had strayed to how long the fabric of her uniform would last on this long trip when the group came to a halt. The men looked about, suspecting this section of trees more than any other. Valerie felt the bad feeling return, the inevitability. Then the ground seemed to slip out from under her.

An arrow had struck her horse, causing it to rear up. She tumbled backwards, hitting the ground hard, her perspective on the world blurred. She could hear the chaos of the battle unfold, catching glimpses of men on horseback or the ground firing at the enemy. Another horse appeared in her sight. Valerie just avoided being crushed as it fell to the ground by rolling out of the way. It continued to lay there, familiar objects spilling out of its pack.

She was about to reach for one when a figure entered her sight. It was another creature, one that was unbelievably more horrid than the last. Valerie back away as it came closer, sword drawn, ready to end her life. Her hand moved to where her pistol was once strapped, hoping some miracle would bring it back.

The Captain suddenly appeared, his own weapon unsheathed. His sword sliced through the creature with great ease, returning stained in its black blood. She allowed herself to stare once more in disbelief, wondering if this truly was happening.

"You are hardly worth the trouble," he said, grabbing her arm and attempting to pull her up. Snapping from her stupor, Valerie resisted, grabbing at one of the objects: a grenade. At least she still had a little luck left. The Captain saw what she had and tried to stop her, still uncertain of where her allegiance lied.

Valerie grabbed his hand. "Trust me." She knew he had to think fast. The seconds were too precious. Contrary to what she thought, he let go of her hand, but she had no time to think over it. Valerie stood quickly, pulling the pin out and lobbing the grenade at a nearby group of creatures. They hardly noticed it, the few who did laughed; they would certainly be in for a surprise.

"Get down!" Somehow, perhaps through surprise, she managed to pull the man to the ground, hiding him behind the body of the horse as an explosion ripped through the creatures, killing three instantly and wounding several more. The Captain looked up from the makeshift barricade, the look on his face almost entertaining.

She grabbed another and repeated the process. The creatures had started to take notice. The battle had not been going their way despite the element of surprise but now that her 'witchcraft' had entered the battle, they quickly began to disperse. The men hardly pursued, knowing there would be many more chances. They began to tend to their wounds and fallen, hoping for few results.

Valerie sat on her knees surveying the scene, half expecting someone to call out medic or at least corpsmen. If she concentrated hard enough, the wind almost resembled the sound of the blades of a helicopter as they stirred the air, hurrying to rescue them and evacuate the wounded. Someone was calling in on the radio, fumbling over the words as their mind raced with frantic thoughts. Others were setting up a perimeter, waiting for a second wave.

It hit her then how tired she had become. She could not remember the last time she had eaten and only now noticed the painful knots her stomach had turned in out of hunger. Her eyelids could hardly stay open; her body felt numb. Adrenaline gone, she had nothing to keep her up, nothing to keep her from the inevitable crash of a weakened body and mind.

He turned back to her then, for a moment not realizing Valerie's attempt to maintain consciousness. If she had not known better, she would have said that there was slight fear reflected in his eyes.

"What are you?" he asked. All Valerie could do was present the most ridiculous smile before she passed out.

* * *

Oh, and my apologies if it seems strangely done. It was originally supposed to be longer but I did not wish to overdo it. Thank you for reading!


	3. Chapter 3

Wow…that took a long time. Thank you to all who added me/my story as a fav or alert. Thanks to everyone who reviewed!

* * *

**Chapter Three**

The smell of smoke filled her nose; the sound of a crackling fire could be heard in the distance. Valerie's eyes opened to darkness and for a moment she wondered if she had gone blind. Her eyes quickly adjusted though and she could soon see shadows dancing on the trees around her. It felt much like a time when her father dreamed of going camping. For practice they had started a small bonfire in the backyard and had enjoyed it well enough until the mosquitoes got their way and a raccoon had crawled into their tent. He never spoke a word of it again.

She turned over, a slight pain in her body but nowhere near as powerful as it had once been. Her head was leaning on a pack, body covered by another blanket that she had not noticed. Looking at her other surroundings, Valerie nearly rolled her eyes at the figure she spotted sitting before her, features deepened by the firelight before him. She tried to sit up as quietly as possible but of course whenever a person attempted such things it only seemed to make them louder. The man, however, hardly noticed.

"I should have expected to see you there," Valerie said, voice calm rather than annoyed.

The Captain's body seemed to bounce, a chuckle kept within. He did not speak though, only continued his thoughtful stare at the flames. Valerie watched him a moment, debating whether or not to pursue some kind of conversation. It was clear he wished to say something but it may not have been in either of their best interests.

"I suppose the question is why." This did gain his attention. He turned to her curiously. "Your men clearly hate, even fear me. What makes you so set on being different?"

The man sighed, glancing downward a moment. "Acting like them will hardly get me the answers I desire…though I am not entirely certain I wish to obtain them any longer."

"I'm guessing you are referring to the incident in the field."

The man nodded. "Whether by magic or some other means, you possess weapons that imagination could not have even created. What damage a single person could do is…overwhelming."

Valerie shook her head in confusion. "Why would you share these things with me?"

He was silent for a long while, as though asking himself the same thing. "Because I do not believe you are the enemy."

There was another silence. Valerie expected to be overjoyed by the statement but there was only a strange calm over her, a reserve. Something too good to be true she supposed. The thoughtful air was dissolved as her stomach voiced its opinion. The man smiled, reaching for a bag next to his foot, hand reappearing with a loaf of bread. He tossed it to her, watching as she took a tentative bite.

"Would you suspect poison?" he asked. "I hardly require subtlety if I wished your death."

Strangely Valerie smiled as she took another, larger bite. The taste was foreign to her but very welcome, satisfying the complaints of her stomach. The two enjoyed a rather comfortable silence as she finished her meal though more thoughts continued to plague her mind, more questions that were most likely unnecessary but wanted anyway.

Valerie stared at her empty hands for a moment, dusting off the few crumbs she had left behind. "Is it because I am a woman?"

Now it was the man's turn to be confused. He searched her face for some explanation before the reason of the question dawned on him. "Is it wrong for a man to wish that a woman is incorruptible, that she would never turn her back on her people?"

She nodded, "It would be where I am from."

"Your land scarcely seems desirable." Valerie was not upset by his statement. Despite not knowing where she was, she could easily guess as to how life was here. Things were simple. Good was good and bad was bad. Black and white. Those qualities in life were what soldiers wished for if only to make their lives easier as they went to war in a land where everyone looked like the enemy.

"I guess not," she mumbled, taking her turn to look at the fire. The flickering flames were not the only things that caught her eye. In the distance men stared at her suspiciously, each creating their own dialogue to the conversation. None of it would be to her advantage. If those creatures that lurked in the forest did not get her first, perhaps his men would. No one was a perfectly trained soldier.

"You always question why I should help you," he started, ripping her gaze from other things. "No man I have come across has done such a thing, has asked for a reason for a simple kindness. You are unlike any foe I have met. I cannot bring myself to believe you were once in their ranks."

Valerie crossed her arms, thinking. She felt safe now; perhaps more than when she had been in Iraq. This man was logical, tried to make sense of things. He would not let harm come to her now, she could feel it. They had a mutual curiosity about each other, one that had grown instead of coming closer to satisfaction. There would be many conversations like this to come.

"What are they," she asked suddenly, "the creatures in the field?"

He stared hard at her a moment before answering. "They are orcs, mindless creatures whose only purpose is to destroy any being opposed to their master."

"Orcs." Valerie thought over everything he had said. Clearly there was much more to this world than she had hoped for. Perhaps questions were not the best things at the moment. They would only lead to more tales that she would have difficulties understanding.

She glanced at the other fire. "Your men look concerned. I think you should humor them."

The man nodded, no doubt having thought the same thing more than once. He stood but instead of moving toward them, he stepped closer to her. Valerie tried to wish away the suspicion coursing through her body but could not as she stared up at his massive figure.

"My men believe that if you were to know my name, you would place a curse upon it." He knelt down at her side offering his hand, smiling. "I am Faramir."

So surprised by his action, Valerie took his hand without response or thought. Before she knew it, he was gone, her hand hanging limply in the air, still feeling around for the rough skin of his. More surprising than most things that had happened to her so far was this incident. The Captain whose men would not trust her to even utter a name had just given her his, gone against all his men's beliefs because he believed she was not the enemy. He trusted her.

Lowering her hand, Valerie felt a small smile creep upon her face. Perhaps she had a chance after all.

* * *

Valerie was on a horse once more, fresh ones having been brought in from a place nearby though she did not have the skill or the memory to pronounce its name. Her body was sore from riding, she could tell, but she was thankful for the ride. Despite the attack from the previous day, she felt much safer on the back of a horse than walking on the ground. At least their bodies provided decent cover.

Faramir was pulling her horse along like he had the other day. Valerie could not help but smile again as she mouthed his name, her tongue unfamiliar with the pronunciation of such a word. She had been right. It was not exactly simple but much easier than she could have hoped.

Catching one of the men looking at her smile suspiciously, Valerie quickly wiped it off her face, turning in the opposite direction, peering through the trees for any sign of their foe, though it was doubtful she would see anything. If these men could be surprised, they were in for a lot of problems, but despite her worries, they came across no creatures save for those that normally dwelled in the forests.

Within a few hours, they reached another clearing, possibly the edge of the forest. The ground became steeper here as it went uphill. Valerie clung tighter to the saddle in fear even though a small voice reassured her there was no chance that she would fall again. When Faramir reached the top, he stopped. A smile had crossed his face, she observed, pulling up beside him.

Turning her gaze downward, Valerie gasped. Below them was a massive city of stone, split by a river. In the early afternoon light, the white of the stone blazed brightly and blinded but she could hardly take her eyes off the sight. She had lived in a world of cold steel and glass, a thing that became rather dull fast but this place was something she could look at every day and find a new appreciation for.

Faramir chuckled. "Osgiliath."

"It's beautiful," she whispered, surprised by what little voice she possessed.

"It was once far grander," he replied, a sadder tone in his voice. "War has plagued our lands longer than I can recall. Where once beautiful things stood now lays rubble. I fear it will never be the same." Another now not so uncommon moment of silence fell between them. Valerie continued to watch Osgiliath in awe, thinking back to the last battlefield she had encountered. True, it was not of greatly carved stone or beautiful statues but in a sense, they were the same. Both lands had once been the jewel of someone's eye and now were falling to ruin through the wars of their people.

Somewhere someone coughed. It was time for them to continue. Valerie broke her gaze from the city and followed Faramir down the steep embankment. She was so concentrated on praying and keeping her grip on the saddle that she hardly noticed when they actually rode upon level ground again. It was only when they passed beneath the first gate, its shadow catching her attention, that she finally looked up.

There were men standing on stone outcroppings all around them. Some were dressed as Faramir while others wore armor, shining brightly against the sun. She strained her eyes to look at them and had to bite her tongue to keep from laughing at the ridiculous shape of their helmets. There were times when she had felt silly in her own but no more.

There were stares and whispers that she could not decipher. Once again, Valerie felt naked. She hunched over a little further in hopes to disappear somewhat from their ever watchful gazes. It did not make her feel much better.

The group soon came to a halt in the middle of an open courtyard. Valerie realized she would have to dismount. Groaning, she mumbled one last prayer and prepared for another embarrassing trip to the ground. Miraculously her body had adjusted to the movement, her leg swinging over rather comfortably and landing firmly on the ground. Her other foot came out of the stirrup easily as well. Valerie looked up with a smile on her face. She quickly lost it as she realized how idiotic it must look. Somehow, she still managed to accomplish it.

Faramir motioned for her to come closer. Valerie obeyed, wishing to stay as close as she could to the only ally she had.

"I must take you to my brother, Boromir, now. He is the Captain-General of Gondor. To gain his trust would help you greatly, so please, do not do anything…" Faramir seemed to be at a loss for words. He hardly knew how to describe anything about her, much less her strange behavior.

"I understand," Valerie said, the smile returning slightly. There was a knowing flicker in her eye.

After assuring his men that he could complete this portion of the mission by himself, Faramir led Valerie down a narrow street. The lane wound so many times and they took so many turns that Valerie was lost in no time. She thought that certainly even he could not know where they were still but every time she looked up at him, he looked even more confident. At least one of them could boast that at the moment.

Faramir stopped suddenly and turned, rope in hand. Valerie held out her hands and sighed as she watched the fibers wrap around her wrists. She would have preferred to meet this brother walking on her own but maybe for the sake of everything he had to keep it this way.

The two approached a door. It hardly looked any different from others they had passed save for the two armored guards that stood outside it. They were slightly different than the other soldiers she had seen. Their helmets were larger, fancier – gaudy was a word she would rather use – with intricate metal carvings sticking out from each side. They also carried rather large spears, considerably threatening since they were about an inch taller than her.

Valerie gulped as they passed the two, half expecting them to pull some sort of stunt that would result in the ending of her life or at least her believing that was the intended outcome, but neither man moved. They did not even look at her as she passed by.

Faramir led the way through a narrow corridor, the light as they went along slowly fading to a dim flicker from candles overhead. Valerie felt a bit choked, almost claustrophobic as they went through, hoping for an end soon. It came in the form of a slightly less dim light near the end. She soon found herself in a different room. It was more open and had no windows, resulting in the air being choked by the burning of the candles. It too had various boxes and barrels.

She grimaced. How familiar…

A figure that had been standing in the room now came toward them. The man, who she assumed was Boromir, was dressed as his soldiers, in bright armor but with a cape as well, no doubt to distinguish him as the man in charge. He was taller than Faramir and not as scrawny. Clearly the two differed in their occupations. His hair was shorter and straighter but despite many differences it was clear that they were brothers. The resemblance was unmistakable.

"I see you got my message," Boromir said, hardly noticing her presence. His voice was deeper and carried the same tone that Faramir's did when he thought of hopeless things. He sounded relieved and tired. "I had my doubts. The enemy becomes bolder each passing day."

Faramir actually smiled. "Fear does not suit you, brother."

"I suppose it does not," he replied, looking over Faramir's shoulder. "Who is it you have brought?"

The Captain sighed, thinking of how to describe it all to his brother. "My own prisoner."

Boromir took a step back in surprise. "You have found one?"

Faramir nodded, stepping aside so Valerie could move forward. She almost did not want to but she did not have much of a choice. Her life was in the Captain's hands. She had to do whatever he deemed right. As she came further into the light, Valerie noted how much the surprise in Boromir's eyes increased, as well as the disbelief.

"Is this some jest?" Boromir asked, looking to his brother. "She is a woman."

Valerie raised an eyebrow at his emphasis on her gender but did nothing more.

"That was my same thought when I came across her on the field of battle two day past, but she has proven herself capable," Faramir said, glancing back at her. Valerie smiled slightly. "We were ambushed by a band of orcs yesterday. She did not sit by idly as we fought them off but engaged in the battle herself."

Boromir did not seem convinced but he certainly looked at her differently. "Were there others with her?"

"Only one but his wounds were too severe." Valerie felt the guilt return and lowered her head.

"Are there any others?"

Valerie looked up again, a dead serious look upon her face.

"No." She was not certain if that question was directed toward her or not but she did not care. It would be better if he heard the answer from her. For her sake, she hoped that what she spoke was the truth. "There were only four of us."

Boromir said nothing for a while. He almost seemed annoyed by her; he must have had a short fuse. Not a very good thing if the other prisoners they continually referred to were who she thought they were. There was something else about him though. He seemed on the verge of words but something was holding them back. Perhaps he did not want to speak with her while Faramir was present. His brother had made it obvious that he was going to advocate for her. Maybe he was also a believer in her witchcraft.

"We must talk," Boromir said abruptly, "Put her in the cell with the others."

Faramir shot an apologizing glance in Valerie's direction. She nodded; she knew that this had to be done. He would talk with his brother alone, try to convince him of something and then they would all talk. She was not looking forward to explaining everything, did not even know where to begin but something had to be done. If these people could believe in witches and fight something like an orc, surely there was a chance of them believing what she was going to speak of. It seemed that Faramir was ready but it was clear that Boromir was more set in his beliefs.

* * *

The cell was a small, rectangular room with benches on the sides and a tiny barred window. The door was wooden with a small opening as well so guards could check on their prisoners, however unlikely it was that they would be able to escape. Valerie entered the room and found two beings asleep on either bench, dressed as she was, stripped of all armor and gear.

Valerie cleared her throat. "Hey guys."

Both figures jumped, each sitting up instantly and looking in her direction. Novak, who sat on the right, was the first to speak.

"Sergeant Hanson! We thought you were dead!"

Valerie walked forward, sitting next to Novak. "Well I'm not, unfortunately."

"What about First Sergeant?" Winchester asked, his voice quieter than usual. Valerie shook her head. The air in the room changed rapidly. She heard both soldiers take deep breaths; she looked at each of them. They appeared tired and in need of a shave but other than that, both men seemed to be in one piece and well taken care of. Perhaps they had gotten lucky. Back where they had been, these conditions would have been Heaven.

"Do you know where we are, Hanson?" Novak asked, running a hand through his hair. It was jet black and filled with curls. It had needed to be cut and after the mission was over, Valerie was supposed to give him counseling on it but now that was not necessary. She had seen pictures of him before the Army. He looked better with longer hair.

She tried to remember the name of the city. "Osgili…land or something like that."

Novak snorted. "Osgililand? What kind of name is that?"

Valerie shrugged. "They like their complicated names."

"I guess so." He paused, "I was thinking somewhere along the lines of Hell or Purgatory."

Valerie sighed. She had thought that she was dead many times. No one could have survived a blast that intense, especially from where she was but hell did not make much sense. How she was taught was that it was eternal damnation and pain. Even if one took the most unrealistic explanation of it, this place was nicer. It was beautiful and no less painful than the regular world.

"It can't be Hell."

"Well, then it's Purgatory."

"I don't believe in Purgatory."

She knew it was coming before he said it. She could sense the smile on his face. No matter what the circumstances, Novak always knew where a joke was needed.

Novak stuck out his hand. "Catholics win, pay up!"

Valerie got some satisfaction out of punching his arm but the insanity of the situation kept it to a minimum.

Winchester had been watching the conversation in silence, debating whether or not he should voice his opinion on where they were. He coughed slightly and gained their attention.

"I think I know where we are."

"Anything has got to be better than Purgatory or Osgililand." Novak said, standing up.

Winchester took a deep breath. "I think we're in Middle Earth."

There was a long silence. Outside men could be heard shuffling about, there armor clanging against each other. Laughter echoed around and the smell of something cooking wafted into the room, making Valerie's stomach growl slightly. She said nothing, only tried to remember why the name sounded so familiar.

"Alright, if she won't say it, I will," Novak stated, "What the hell is Middle Earth?"

* * *

Not my favorite update. Find myself struggling a bit with these chapters. Hopefully the next one is better. Any advice/criticism helps!


End file.
